(antiGUY Rant) You would think from the outcry
that a movie painting Hilter in a positive light won this year's Best Picture
honors at the Academy Awards. Instead it was a movie that explores the
complicated nature of racism that won over a love story about two gay sheepherders.
The funniest part about watching the backlash
over the agenda driven supporters of Brokeback Mountain is that
many of them are mirroring the racism of the characters in Crash.
Obviously, the message in that film went right over their heads, especially
those that go as far as to call it the worst movie of the year. Crash
was not only well done but it was a clever examination of the inherent
intolerance within most people (something that should resonate with Brokeback
supporters.) Maybe it hit too close to home for some? Or perhaps it was
just pushing the wrong "in" agenda for 2006.
With all of the hype surrounding Brokeback
Mountain it did seem like a shoo-in for victory but when the dust settled
the better film won out and that has those that saw Brokeback more
as a furtherance of an agenda than entertainment, scrambling to come up
with an explanation. It must be the homophobes! Most of the voters are
from Los Angeles so a film based in their hometown won. Ludicrous, perhaps,
just maybe the voters without an agenda felt that Crash was a better
film.
Just take the controversy out of Brokeback
and look at it if the script had portrayed a love affair between a man
and woman and at the end of the day, it doesn't really standout as the
best that Hollywood has to offer. But the daring angle of a gay love-story
gave it sizzle and made it standout but it really wasn't a better film
than a lot of movies that came out last year that weren't even nominated.
In fact, the movie that should have been called the best movie of the year
Cinderella Man didn't make the cut. Maybe it wasn't pushing an agenda
and couldn't even be considered. Maybe it was Russell Crowe backlash? Crowe
may be somewhat of a tool, but the man can act! (And hey he played a gay
character in the past too!) And Cinderella Man was a great movie.
Far better than Brokeback and even Crash.
Perhaps some people take these silly little
popularity contests too seriously. It's as if the most popular kid in school
lost an election to a normal kid. The favorite was beaten by the underdog.
But the public also voted about the hype this year when the telecast earned
the second smallest audience in its history. (Suffering a similar fate
to this year's Grammy telecast.) Could it be that the public is sending
a loud and clear message to the entertainment community that keeps bitching
that their profits keep shrinking? They try to blame it on illegal downloading
or anything else aside from the fact that they keep putting out product
that most people wouldn't waste their money on. But maybe they just need
to look back at Oscars past to a film that lost out on the Best Picture
honors in 1989 because there is still a lot of truth in the statement "If
you build it, he will come". If you make better movies (and music) they
will buy. No big mystery there. And don't get me started on all of the
shoddy remakes being pumped out of Hollywood. Did we really need a big
screen version of the Dukes of Hazard?
Who cares really? But I do admit it's fun
watching the hypesters bitch and moan and toss out conspiracy theories
about why their sure thing lost. It couldn't possibly be that the
best picture award went to the best picture that was nominated. Nope, it
has to be something sinister like homophobia or hometown advantage to explain
why the hype failed this year.
Call me crazy but I go to the movies to
be entertained. That's my only agenda. Besides didn't Pauly Shore already
make a movie about a gay cowboy? Where is his Oscar?
antiTainment returns! now anti once again goes beyond just music!
Rant
or Rave? Your turn, post your comments
and thoughts on this rant. Call antiGUY a homophobe and overreact to this "tragedy"! (this should be fun) But hey keep it clean, we wouldn't want
to have to wash your mouth out with Old Spice.
Posted by aG:
Lisa, thank you very much for your reasoned counter-points. I was speaking more to the reactionaries than people such as yourself. One person decided he had to shutdown his movie site because of this "injustice". I didn't mention Capote, the film was good but not great. The acting was excellent and that Oscar was deserved. Munich on the other hand didn't live up to expectations. It was a good film but a little disjointed and longwinded. That's also my biggest complaint with BBM, it peaks too early and drags on in other parts. DS, I'm not worried at all. I dealt with that clan at University and survived to tell the tale. I wish I could do more here like in yesteryear but with the family and being on the road most of the time I can only contribute ever-so-often. Glad to see you still given' them hell as well. Looks forward to your Cure review. ok, aG out but thanks to Lisa for offering a sound and reasonable counter point. Too bad, the ones getting all of the attention from the BBM camp aren't more like you.
Posted by DeadSun:
Oooh--- I'll bet the PC Thought Police are watching your every move now, aG. I'm sure the black helicopters will be over your car in no time. Nice rant, killer. It's good to know you're still willing to be called back into "active duty" here at anti. DS
Posted by Lisa:
This is all about opinions after all, isn't it? I've seen Crash, Brokeback Mountain, and Cinderella Man, and in my opinion, they were all excellent films. It is your opinion that Cinderella man was the best of the three, and that's fine. It is my opinion that Brokeback Mountain was the best. It is your opinion that Cinderella Man should have replaced Brokeback Mountain as a nominated film; it is my opinion that Cinderella Man should have replaced Munich. It is your opinion that if it were about a heterosexual couple, Brokeback Mountain would have been lacking; in my opinion it's just that fact that makes the story outstanding. I'm not really complaining that Crash won--it was a great film. Was it better than either Brokeback Mountain, Cinderella Man, or even Capote, for that matter? In this case, it was the opinions of the Academy voters that mattered. Had ballots been sent out to the home of every moviegoer in America, perhaps their opinions would have proclaimed The Revenge of the Sith, Narnia, or Harry Potter this year's best film--or even The Dukes of Hazzard, which I wouldn't see on a bet. It is your opinion that supporters of Brokeback Mountain had an agenda in mind, and I can see the reasoning behind that opinion. But in my opinion, the backers of Crash are just as capable of agenda pushing. I'm not going to call you homophobic, nor do I think I'm overreacting because the film I favored did not win this year--that's happened plenty of years. But none of us (even Academy members)should tout our opinions as gospel. That's all.
